


Forty Years

by vias_words



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: 1980s, 1990s, Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bisexual Scorpius Malfoy, Domestic, Emotional Roller Coaster, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Albus Severus Potter, Grief/Mourning, Growing Old Together, Growing Up, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Misunderstandings, POV Albus Severus Potter, Pining, Sad and Happy, Time Travel, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23572294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vias_words/pseuds/vias_words
Summary: A lot can happen in forty years...After Albus and Scorpius get stuck in 1981 with no means of returning to their own timeline, they must find a way to live in a completely different generation. Unable to go home until they reach their own year, they are forced to grow up on their own,  mourning the loss of their families, and discovering a lot about themselves and their parents in the process.Glimpses into the lives of Albus and Scorpius in an alternative interpretation of how Delphi is defeated.
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter
Comments: 53
Kudos: 209





	1. 30 October 1981

**Author's Note:**

> I love the Cursed Child but there's a lot of plot conveniences in the final act so here's my attempt at an alternative solution of what could have happened in Godric's Hollow 1981...
> 
> This was originally written as one long piece but I decided to break it into little chapters to make it more accessible and break down the passage of time.

#### 30th of October, 1981

"As pleasurable as it will be to hide in a hole with you for the next forty years . . . " Albus forced a laugh, trying not to let the panic set in. "They'll find us. And we'll die and time will be stuck in the wrong position. No. We need something we can control, something we know he'll get at exactly the right time. We need a--" 

"There's nothing" Scorpius' voice felt hollow, void of ideas--and losing hope. "Still, if I had to choose a companion to be at the return of eternal darkness with, I'd choose you." He managed a meagre smile in Albus' direction.

"No offence, but I'd choose someone massive and really good at magic," Banter helped Albus distract himself from the pending fate of the world that rested in their hands. 

Scorpius gave him a playful shove and they were able to share a smile at least one more time before the helplessness began to settle down upon them. With drooping shoulders, they sat in silence upon the snow-dusted streets of Godric's Hollow. 

As his gaze drifted over the cheery thatched-roofed homes, Albus wondered how a place so cosy could come to be the epicentre of such darkness. Plumes of smoke billowed out of the chimneys, the dwellers inside having no idea of what was to come. These would be the last moments of peace before Voldemort's arrival. The coming of which would bring back an age of darkness--or rather, prevent the coming of more peaceful times. Once Delphi swooped in to enact her plan, then life as Albus and Scorpius knew it would cease to exist. There was no telling what might take place.

"There must be something we can do," Albus put his head in his hands, combing his fingers through his hair as he wracked his brain for an idea--anything that could stop Delphi. But they were two wandless schoolboys with very little chance against the manipulative daughter of the Dark Lord.

"I don't know, Albus," Scorpius sounded weak, using a tone Albus hadn't heard from him since his mum passed, "I think we've really mucked it up this time."

"So you're giving up?" Anger rose up in Albus' voice, as he got to his feet unable to sit still any longer, "You're going to let the world fall to ruins and not do anything about it?" 

"What can we do, Albus?" This time, it came out as a yell, cracking with desperation, "You're the one who got us into this mess, so what do you suggest? What's your grand plan now? Huh? Because we certainly could use one."

The harshness in his best friend's voice stung like a lash against Albus' skin. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but he couldn't hold back the tears welling in his eyes. He knew it was hopeless and it was all his fault. All he ever wanted to do was set things right, and now he'd only gone and made things worse. Because that's what Albus Potter does--mess things up.

"I--I never meant for this to happen and you know that," Albus' voice broke along with the dam in his eyes, tears falling down his wind-chilled cheeks, "I just wanted to help..."

Seeing his friend break down caused Scorpius to change his tone. Standing up, he approached Albus, pulling him into a comforting embrace. It was still new for them but Albus had never appreciated a hug more.

"I'm sorry, Albus. I didn't mean to yell or blame you or whatever. I'm--I'm just scared. Petrified really." 

"You think I'm not?" Albus drew back from the hug, beginning to pace back and forth, "I just can't give up. I can't let the world go to hell without at least putting up a fight."

Scorpius sighed, "We've still got a few hours. Perhaps there's still time to come up with something." 

Scorpius planted himself back down on the ground, face twisting in thought. He began to run his finger through the thin layer of snow, doodling squiggles and lines as he pondered. Albus kept up his pacing, rubbing his hands together to keep warm.

"Excuse me? You boys, there!" The voice of a woman called out.

Albus and Scorpius' heads shot over in the direction of an approaching figure. The woman, bundled in a heavy fur cloak with a scarf covering most of her head except for a few silvery hairs that poked out around her face, quirked her head in their direction as she hobbled over to them.

With wide eyes, Scorpius turned to Albus and said in an excited whisper, "It's Bathilda Bagshot! _The_ Bathilda Bagshot!" 

Albus got a second look at the elderly woman, immediately straightening out his spine. He used his sleeve to wipe his tear-stained cheeks, trying to appear casual. It was far too late to jump out of sight and prevent the woman from seeing them. What ripple this would cause for the future? Albus couldn't be sure.

"Boys?" She called again as she got closer, "What on earth are you doing out on the streets in the cold? Are you alright?" Albus could feel Bathilda's eyes examining his face, the wrinkles by her eyes deepening.

Scorpius stepped forward, "Yes, yes, of course, we are. Perfectly alright, wouldn't you say. Al--" He froze, knowing Albus' name was too recognisable, especially to Bathilda, who knew his namesake far too well, "--aric? Alaric." 

"Right, right. Perfectly fine." Albus-- _Alaric_ \--nodded. Couldn't Scorpius have picked a more normal name? Something like Alex or Alfie. Even Alan would do! Alaric sounded like an old grey wizard's name, not one for a young boy. Although, he supposed Albus wasn't much better.

"Shouldn't you two be at Hogwarts?" She eyed them suspiciously, knowing they were far too young to be out of school.

"We're muggles," Albus answered quickly--too quick to think that through, "Er, well wait..." He cringed inwardly, knowing his slip up was a dead giveaway. 

"Ah," Bathilda gutted, "Runaways, I see...Perhaps I ought to owl my old friend, Albus Dumbledore...Although, I'm sure you know him as Headmaster Dumbledore." It was a thinly veiled threat framed as gently as she could make it. 

Albus and Scorpius exchanged a look. They both knew all too well that Hogwarts would have no record of an Alaric or Scorpius. And their surnames would be obviously connected to their grandparents--grandparents that had no idea of their existence yet. In Albus' case, they never would...

Scorpius began to try and spin another lie, "Actually, err," He cleared his throat, beginning to speak in a thick fake accent, "Vee are from Bauxbatons and vee--"

Albus rolled his eyes, knowing it was no use, "Oh give it a rest. Maybe she can help us." He sent a pleading look in Scorpius' direction. He sighed but didn't protest.

"Help you?" Bathilda raised an eyebrow.

"This is going to sound like we're absolutely mental," Albus realised that probably wasn't the strongest way to begin, "But we need help to make sure a prophecy is fulfilled. One that can prevent a world of darkness." Albus bit his lip, waiting on edge to see how Bathilda would respond. She might just laugh in their face. Or brush them off and order their return to the school that wouldn't know their names for another forty years. 

Bathilda narrowed her eyes, "Well, if it's as serious as preventing a world of darkness, I suppose we better discuss this inside, shall we?"

\---

The fire cracked, providing Albus and Scorpius with some much-needed warmth after being stuck outside underdressed for the chilly October evening. The kettle whistled, prompting Bathilda to flick her wand to take it off the heat and carry it to the table.

"Do sit," She gestured to the old wooden table in the middle of the cluttered kitchen. 

The boys did as they were told, gratefully accepting the tea and biscuits she offered. Albus couldn't remember the last time he ate. Technically speaking, he hadn't eaten in four decades.

"Now what is this prophecy you speak of?" Bathilda questioned as she took her place at the head of the table between Albus and Scorpius.

Giving Albus a nervous glance, Scorpius began to explain slowly, "Well, you see, we aren't from here. In fact, we aren't even supposed to be here at all really. Believe it or not--or rather, you should believe it because its the truth--we are from the future." Scorpius winced, realising how mad that sounded, "That seems crazy, I know. It is! But it's the truth. We had a time turner and well, it sort of got destroyed. Along with our wands. Which is exactly why we need help because--"

Bathilda raised her hand to stop him, "I'm sorry, the future, you say? As in...?"

"The year 2020..." Albus filled in the blank.

"Merlin, you are very far from home, aren't you," She noted, leaning against the back of her chair as she sipped her tea. "Which is strange considering time turners don't go back years..." She clearly wasn't convinced by their story.

"I know. But this was a special one. A modified one! Retrieved from the home of Theodore Nott---whose name I'm realising probably means nothing to you since he's most likely an infant right now..." Scorpius finished in a mutter.

"Please, Bathilda. Err, if I may call you that." Albus scratched at the back of his neck, "You've got to believe us. Something really bad--no, _catastrophically_ bad--is going to take place tomorrow if we don't set things right." 

The old woman sighed, setting down her teacup, "I'm going to be honest with you boys. I am having an awfully hard time believing this far fetched story you've concocted. I'm going to need a good reason as to why you are here or I'll be fetching my owl to send a letter to Hogwarts alerting them of two stray teenagers." She looked between Albus and Scorpius, her expression showing she was serious.

Something Albus' father once mention stirred up in his memory, "My grandparents!" he spoke up, an urgency in his voice. "You know my grandparents. And my father too. He's just a baby but I know you know him. I shouldn't even be telling saying this because Merlin knows what will happen to the timeline but it's the only way. My father is Harry Potter, son of James and Lily. He's going to grow up to do something very important. And that might not happen if we don't set things right. That's why we are here."

Bathilda didn't speak. Her eyes bore right into Albus' as if she could see right through him. Albus gulped. If she didn't believe him now, she might never. This was their only hope.

"James and Lily Potter, you say?" 

Albus nodded, "I look just like my father--and my grandad, I suppose. But my eyes--"

"You've got Lily's eyes," The old woman finished with a slow nod.

"Exactly!" Albus perked up, his heart racing a mile a minute, "You've got to believe us. _Please._ "

The old woman took a long sip of her tea before speaking, "If this madness you speak of is true...and I'm not saying it is...then what-- _per se_ \--would you need my help with?"

\---

"Is there no other way?" Bathilda's head hung low, the truth weighing down on her shoulders.

"I wish there was," Albus mumbled.

"In order for the future to be set straight and the prophecy to play out as it's meant to, James and Lily need to die," Scorpius nodded solemnly.

With a slight shake in her bones, Bathilda pushed herself up from the table, hand wrapping around her wand, "What needs to be done will be done. Delphi will be taken care of."

"I feel sorry that history won't remember your bravery," Scorpius admitted. "Or, rather, it can't..."

Bathilda shook her head, rolling up her sleeves, "Believe me, son. I wouldn't want it to."


	2. November 1981

#### November 1981

Delphi was dead. History would have no idea of her existence. No one in the past knew her name--and thanks to them, neither would the people of the future. The Augury was erased and time was set straight again. 

But Albus and Scorpius were alone. Trapped in the past with no means of returning home. The world was as it should be, but at what cost?

Empty could not even begin to describe how Albus and Scorpius felt. They'd saved the world but lost everything in the process. Their parents, their family, their homes. The world as they knew it was ripped from their hands, leaving them in a completely different century with nowhere to go. All they had now was each other. 

Bathilda agreed to house the boys, allowing them to take refuge in the empty attic room. She conjured two beds and promised them new clothes--clothes that would help them fit in with a time much before theirs.

Whilst the wizarding world celebrated the defeat of Voldemort outside, Albus and Scorpius grieved, having lost everything. 

Days passed slowly as the boys had little energy to leave their beds. The kindly old woman brought them food each morning and evening which they accepted politely but only ever picked at. Scorpius filled the long hours with books, trying to distract himself from the world around him. But every night, Albus was kept awake by the muffled sobs from under his blankets. 

Albus' eyes had long since dried. He wasn't sure he had any tears left in him to shed. He felt completely hollow, void of his usual drive and dry humour. He couldn't muster a joke if he tried. Most days, he sat curled up in the nook by the attic window, overlooking Godric's Hollow below. The worlds kept on moving, despite Albus feeling like everything was off. The people outside lived in blissful ignorance, no idea that their future should have been Albus' past. 

As much as he'd complained, Albus missed his old life. he may have felt out of place in his family and at Hogwarts but those issues seemed so minuscule compared to the displaced feeling that now overtook his whole life. He _really_ didn't belong now. 

He hated thinking about how his parents must be feeling in their own time. They'd lost their son, having no idea if he was even alive or had been murdered by Delphi--or the Dark Lord himself. No idea what year or century he might be in. No way of going back to find him. Even if they had another time turner, it could take a lifetime of guessing to find out where the boys were located. 

The days turned to weeks, and then months before Albus and Scorpius had any resemblance of a normal life. They slowly emerged from their room in the attic, joining Bathilda for tea. They worked up to playing gobstones in the parlour or even short walks around the town for exercise. Scorpius loved spending time talking to Bathilda about her books and her historical knowledge. He could listen to her stories for hours. Albus prefered spending time wandering Godric's Hollow on his own, alone with his thoughts. More often than not, he found himself sitting beside his grandparents' graves in the shadow of St Jeromes, trying to feel some connection to his family. Sometimes he'd talk to them too, hoping they were watching over him and keeping him company.

The winter was miserable but spring brought new life. Perhaps it was time for Albus and Scorpius to start a new life as well.


	3. September 1982

#### September 1982

It would be 35 years until Scorpius and Albus would be heading off to Hogwarts for the first time. But somehow, this felt like that day all over again, despite being four years older.

"Are you sure you've got everything you need?" Bathilda fussed over them like a grandmother would her own kin, "You've remembered your scarves, right? I know it gets terribly cold there very early in the season."

"Yep," Scorpius nodded, latching his trunk, "I've got everything." 

"And you?" She raised her eyebrow at Albus, who was sitting atop his trunk, his head rested in his hands.

"Yeah," He responded with little enthusiasm. He was never excited to be returning to Hogwarts, but starting his fifth year as a completely new student made everything even more difficult.

Bathilda frowned, opening her arms and motioning for the boys to approach, "Chin up, boys. I know this will be difficult but I think going to Hogwarts is a great opportunity for you both to start fresh. You'll be able to learn amongst peers your own age. Make new friends! Enjoy what's left of your adolescence." She pulled Albus and Scorpius in with a squeeze.

"No use sitting around with an old lady all day for forty years. What fun would that be? Wasting away your life when you still have so much to live for," Bathilda tried to cheer them up. "I've pulled a lot of strings at Hogwarts to get you started as fifth years, so I expect you to keep your marks up and do well on your O.W.L.s. Just because this might not feel like the world you're used to, doesn't give you an excuse not to take the opportunities that come to you."

"Yes, Bathilda," Scorpius and Albus spoke in unison. 

She released them from the hug, taking both their wrists, "Now, off to Kings Cross it is then." With a loud crack, the boys were whisked away from their attic rooms, apparating before the looming London station. 

\---

Alaric Fleamont and Syrus Bagshot: best friends arriving at Hogwarts five years late after studying in America at Ilvermorny for the past four. When Syrus' parents decided took jobs in far-off Siberia, studying magical creatures of the tundra, he, and his orphaned best mate, Alaric, came to live with their great-great-aunt Bathilda and finish their schooling in Britain where they were born. Sorted into Slytherin with little hesitation from the sorting hat, who seemed to have already made up its mind before it was even placed atop their heads. It was quite the story.

Albus and Scorpius were used to odd looks from their peers, but this was a new level. It took just a couple of weeks for word to spread about the two new students and their strange history that took them across the globe. But their arrival sparked curiosity, and once the students adjusted to their presence, they began to ask questions.

"What was America like?"

"Big, and, uhh patriotic..."

"Have you ever visited your parents in Russia?"

"No, I don't like the cold."

Somehow, despite never being popular before, Albus and Scorpius found themselves surrounded by people who wanted to get to know them.

"It's mad!" Albus expressed to Scorpius one weekend, pacing in circles as Scorpius lounged by the lake. "They have no idea who we are. We could make up our entire lives. No one has any idea that I'm a Potter. And you don't have to deal with people thinking you're a Deatheater or son of Voldemort. We can be anyone we want!"

"Don't you think it's a little overwhelming?" Scorpius asked, flicking pebblings into the lake and watching the ripples in the water. "All these students want to be our friends but they won't ever know the real us. I don't even know if I really know the real me anymore. If we aren't Albus and Scorpius anymore, who are we really?"

Albus plopped down next to his best friend, "I mean..." He pondered the question. "We're still us, aren't we? Just without all the baggage. We may have different names and a different past, but that doesn't change who we are on the inside, right?" He gave Scorpius a soft poke to the chest, right above his heart.

Scorpius managed a weak smile--which had been rare in the past months, "Yeah, I suppose."

"And I promise," Albus continued, "I'll always be your best friend, no matter what." 

This time Scorpius smiled for real, "And I'll be yours."


	4. August 1983

#### August 1983

"--happy birthday dear Albus, happy birthday to you!" The pitchy rendition of the song came to a finish as Scorpius and Bathilda gave him a small round of applause. 

Albus shifted in his chair, uncomfortable with the attention on him as he blew out the singular candle on the little cake Bathilda had baked for him. Although the date of August 27th always brought the celebration of his birthday, Albus wasn't sure if he could actually be considered fifteen or not. It hadn't been a full year since his fourteenth birthday and it seemed strange to adjust the date he'd celebrated for years by a few days because of the change in time. But the whole situation was strange to begin with.

It was the first birthday he would be celebrating without his family. Usually, his mum would pick up a cake for him at the shop and his dad would cook his favourite meal. Sometimes the Granger-Weasley's came to visit, gathering together to celebrate before the start of the school year would split them up again. 

But this year, with only Bathilda and Scorpius, it didn't feel much like a celebration. 

"What did you wish for?" Scorpius asked as Bathilda whisked the cake away to slice.

"If I tell you, it won't come true," Albus answered but something passed wordlessly between them as they met each other's eyes.

Somehow, Albus understood that Scorpius knew exactly what Albus had wished.


	5. December 1983

#### December 1983

In a surprising turn of events, Albus had managed to pass his O.W.L.s--with fairly decent marks at that, although still not matching Scorpius' achievements. Without teasing from his classmates or the pressure to be like his father, Albus found himself more able to apply himself to his studies. He supposed that was one good thing to come out of all this.

It had only been a year since they'd started as new Hogwarts students. A _long_ one year. It had been a bumpy road. Their roommates-turned-friends, Michael, Loren, and Toby, had to adjust to hearing their soft sobs after lights out in the dormitory-- _they just miss their parents and home._ They had become accustomed to walking in on them whispering only for their conversation to immediately cease upon seeing them-- _they're like brothers, they're allowed to have secrets with each other_. And their other peers had brushed off their slip-ups when they mentioned names or things they'd never heard of-- _it must be American._

Scorpius had even managed to pull himself a girlfriend by the end of the year, just before the winter Holidays. A rosy-cheeked Hufflepuff named Elaine, who was so sweet Albus felt horrible when he felt a twinge of jealousy seeing his best friend spend time with someone else.

"Do you really think it's wise to date someone?" Albus asked Scorpius in a hushed voice one evening as they were studying in the common room.

Scorpius looked up from his textbook, "What does that have to do with History of Magic homework?" 

Albus rolled his eyes, "I think everything we do now is a part of History of Magic, all things considered."

With a sigh, Scorpius shrugged, trying to go back to reading, "I like Elaine and she likes me. I don't see what the problem is."

"But the timeline. Scorpius," Albus reminded him, "We can't cause ripples. Who knows what impact dating someone might make!"

"The impact is that I've met someone that makes me happy. Which is rather rare these days, if you haven't noticed. If I'm stuck here, I should be able to at least find some happiness," There was an edge to his voice that caused Albus to shrink back in his seat.

"I--I thought I made you happy..." He mumbled, staring down at the table.

Scorpius sighed, calming slightly, "Of course you do, Al. I just mean...I need to find happiness here in this new life. I've got you no matter where I go, right? I need someone here to make this waiting worthwhile. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I s'pose," Albus said although he wasn't sure how much he meant it. 

Every day they spent in the past was just another day passing until they could go home to their families again. Although Albus enjoyed having new friends at Hogwarts, he didn't think he really needed anyone else but Scorpius. As long as he had his best friend, he could make it through. Because Scorpius was the only one who could understand where Albus came from and who Albus was. He didn't need to be some made-up character when he was around Scorpius, he could just be himself without needed to worry if he blended in or if he slipped up. Alaric may have better marks, more friends, and no famous name to live up to, but that didn't mean Albus liked his new life any better. Alaric was not Albus Potter. Albus Potter would never be Alaric.

But Scorpius took on his role of Syrus seriously. 

Part of Albus loved seeing his best friend thrive. After all the nights in their attic bedroom with little more to do than mope about, seeing the return of Scorpius' smile felt like light returning in the gloom that now made up their lives. He wanted to be happy when he saw Scorpius hand-in-hand with Elaine, their eyes shining when they look at each other. He wanted to be able to support his relationship with Elaine that seemed to lift his mood whenever she was mentioned. And he wanted to be able to find someone who made him feel like way Elaine made Scorpius feel.

But in truth, the only person that made him feel that way was Scorpius. And it was clear Scorpius didn't share those same feelings.


	6. June 1984

#### June 1984

The summer holidays were a weird strange time for Albus and Scorpius. Whereas everyone was eager to return home for a couple of months, Scorpius and Albus weren't going home...not really. Albus' definition of 'going home' meant returning back to his family in 2020. But without means of getting another modified time turner, going that far forward in time wasn't possible.

"We'll have to come visit sometime over break, yeah?" Michael asked as the group of roommates was unloading their belongings from the train carriage. "And see ol' batty Bagshot," He playfully elbowed Albus.

"Will your parents be visiting from Siberia at all?" Loren asked Scorpius, whose hand was still intertwined with Elaine's as the dragged their trunks onto awaiting trollies.

"Uhh," He glanced at Albus for a fraction of a second before answering, "I'm not sure. They're usually very busy. Lot's to do up there in Siberia!"

Albus tried his hardest to refrain from rolling his eyes but no one else seemed to notice the irony of the statement. 

"Too bad," Elaine hummed, leaning on her boyfriend's shoulder, "I'd love to meet them someday. I'm so interested to hear about their work!"

Scorpius actively seemed to avoid Albus' glare, "Er, right, of course. Someday..."

The friends split up, waving before running off to their awaiting families. Leaning against the brick wall of the station, Albus waited for Scorpius, while he and Elaine exchanged goodbyes. Albus grimaced as they began to snog, having to look away in fear he'd be sick on the platform.

Finally, Scorpius caught up with them and they began making their way through the barrier into the muggle station.

"I told you dating would just make things complicated," Albus said, avoiding eye contact with his friend as he briskly navigated his trolley through the crowds. 

"She only suggested meeting my parents," Scorpius tried to reason. "I never made any promises."

"Just wait till you have to explain that you're thirteen years older than your parents. Can't wait to see how she responds to that," Albus grumbled.

Without warning, Scorpius came to a halt, causing Albus to stumble to a stop, shooting him a sideways glance.

"What is your problem with Elaine, Albus?" Scorpius questioned him, his voice rising ever so slightly.

"I don't have a problem with Elaine."

"Well, clearly you have some issue with us being together. I can't even talk about her without you getting all worked up about it. She's a nice girl, Albus. Can't you see that?" Scorpius gestured widely, attracting attention from some people passing nearby.

"It's not about Elaine!" Albus found his temper rising but realised they were starting to attract stares. Cautiously, he stepped forward to confront Scorpius in a low voice, "I've told you why it's not a good idea to date anyone. You know there are risks."

"I'm just trying to live a normal life!" 

Albus stepped closer, trying his harder not to raise his voice, "We aren't normal people, Scorpius! We're never going to be normal!" Albus' voice cracked, the tears that so often graced his eyes threatening to flood again.

It seemed to break through to Scorpius, who hung his head. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the handle of the trolley fiercely. Finally, he lifted his head just enough to meet Albus' eyes.

"I know that. I know things are different for us," His voice wobbled slightly as he spoke, "But why can't we at least try? When I'm with Elaine, I can pretend I'm not stuck in this nightmare of a situation. I can distract myself from the fact that I'm some crazy kid from the future. I can just be happy and not spend every moment bottling up all of my feelings and trying to forget that somewhere out there now my father is all alone thinking he lost my mom and now me. Elaine makes me happy Albus, even if it just for a moment. Can't you just let me have this one thing?" 

The sight of Scorpius' grey eyes glistening with tears was too much for Albus to bear, forcing him to turn to face his trolley again, "Come on," he said in an emotionless voice, "Bathilda must be waiting for us outside."

But Scorpius didn't budge, "I don't want to fight anymore, Albus."

"We're not fighting," He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to prevent the water from spilling out of the corners of his eyes.

"You're all I have. You're the one whose supposed to be with me through all of this." 

Letting out a sigh, Albus turned back to face his best friend, "I am. And I will be. Although," He let himself break for a moment and crack a smile, "I'm still waiting on that guy who's massive and really good at magic."

Scorpius couldn't help but let out a teary laugh, a grin spreading across his face, "I'm so close to hitting you right now for that." He began to push his trolley forward again, "Let's go find Bathilda."

Outside the station, the boys scanned around for any sign of their elderly caretaker.

"Maybe she decided she's not coming back for us this time..." Scorpius' voice filled with worry after ten minutes of searching.

Albus shook his head, no wanting to believe that could be true, "She owled me just yesterday. She said she'd baked cauldron cakes for our return."

"Do you think she's forgotten?" 

Albus looked across the vast square outside of the doors of Kings Cross. Muggles bustled about, in and out of the station, never pausing for too long. Cars and busses whizzed by on the surrounding streets. Cyclists chimed their bells as they passed people, warning them of their presence. But nowhere amongst the chaotic crowd of London. 

"No!" Albus tried to convince himself but he knew at her age, it was possible for it to slip her mind, "Well, maybe..."

"So what do we do then? We can't apparate yet. And we don't have any muggle money for a bus."

Albus thought about it before deciding, "We wait." He moved around his trolley to sit atop his trunk. "She'd bound to remember eventually. I have faith." 

Bathilda had never let the boys down before, becoming a fierce protector over them. She was the only other person in this time that knew of their situation. Albus just couldn't imagine her abandoning them now. Not after all that happened. 

By the time the sun had almost set and Scorpius and Albus were beginning to lose hope, a hunched figure came scrambling over to them.

"My boys! I'm so sorry I've kept you waiting," She pulled them into a hug, one arm over each of them, "I don't know what happened. I let time get the best of me. Won't happen again! Let's get you two home for a nice hot meal!"

Despite her promise, that summer Albus and Scorpius realised that it very well might happen again. Although Bathilda remained her cheery self, they could see she wasn't quite all there. It would be little things, like burning the biscuits she forgot she'd put in the oven. Other times, she'd jump when Albus entered the room as if she didn't know he was home for the summer. There was even once when they'd all been playing cards when Bathilda went to the kitchen for some water. When she didn't return for over ten minutes, Scorpius got up only to find her fast asleep in her bedroom in the middle of the day.

Given her age, Albus should have expected that something like this might occur. But that didn't stop him from worrying. Once they went back to school in the Autumn, would she be well enough to continue living on her own?

"Albus," Scorpius spoke up one night when they'd been reading by candlelight in the attic. "There's something I should tell you..."

Albus' head shot up, completely forgetting about his book, "What is it?" 

On the opposite side of the room, the moonlight danced across Scorpius' sharp features, making his eyes sparkle like silver. But Albus could see the concerned expression growing on his face.

"I wasn't sure if you knew...I mean, I only know from the history books but I'm sure those didn't interest you. But I didn't know if maybe your father told you before or not..." Scorpius fiddled with the hem of his nightshirt.

"Told me what?" Albus leaned forward, almost tipping off the edge of his bed.

"About...About how Bathilda died--er, well dies."

Albus' heart plummeted into his stomach, "Oh..."

"She uh," Scorpius sniffled, 'She gets...She's killed. By someone working for Voldemort."

Albus clenched his fists, feeling all the muscles in his back tense, " _No!_ We can't let that happen!"

A tear trickled down Scorpius' cheek as he shut his eyes, nodding slowly, "We have to Albus. We have to. There's something that happens. With your dad and Hermione. They need to visit this house and they need to find that she's dead."

"No," Albus' voice was hollow with disbelief, "No." He threw himself back on the bed, turning his body to face away from Scorpius. He didn't want to believe it was true. He didn't want to know that the woman who'd done so much for them and for the wizarding world would eventually fall victim to the dark magic.

"I'm sorry, Albus. I wish there was another way...But we have to let history play out as it's meant to. It's the only way."


	7. March 1985

#### March 1985

By their concluding term at Hogwarts, the boys finally felt settled in their roles in the school. But the end was nearing and their daunting future awaited them

The word 'future' never felt like the right word to use. To Albus, the future meant much further from now, more than just a couple of months. The future was far off, with people that didn't yet know of his existence or still had yet to be born. The future was where his parents were still mourning the loss of their son or where Draco resided in his large family manor house all alone. 

Now Albus' 'future' coincided with the past. How much of a difference could he make in a world he technically hadn't been born into yet? How much did their presence in the past change what would become their real life?

Bathilda warned them that, even once their parents reached an age that Scorpius and Albus could talk to them, they could never interact with them or even cross paths. Not until the time was right and they were back in the year they disappeared from. One slip up and they might never be born in the first place.

That dashed Scorpius' hopes to be a Hogwarts professor and Albus' curiosity for his father's life. As the books and newspapers published the story of her infant father's heroics and the sacrifices his grandparents made, it just made Albus miss his parents more. It would only get worse in the coming years as Harry reached school age. It would take a great deal of strength to stop him from running to his father as soon as the War was over.

The war...that was another thing Albus and Scorpius had to be aware of. It would be another decade until the Battle of Hogwarts would take place--a war they knew all about. They were barred from participating in it. Bathilda had laid out the rules long ago. No one must know about what would take place. Only the three of them could know the secrets of the future--and even Bathilda herself wanted to know as little as possible. Albus and Scorpius held the fate of the world behind sealed lips, sometimes feeling as if they were dying to explode. But they never let it slip, even when it could have gotten them O's in Divination.

Eventually, at the end of winter, they hit a downward slump. Although things had once been looking up for them before, the pressure of exams, confusion of their lives outside of Hogwarts, and stress about choosing jobs that wouldn't meddle too much with time, now seemed to be taking a too on them, beginning a downward spiral.

"She--she broke up with me," Scorpius cried one night as Albus returned to their dorm to find him curled up in his bed. "She thought I was keeping too much from her. That I must be hiding something. And I--I couldn't tell her the truth. So she broke up with me." He explained in a shaky voice that made Albus' chest ache.

Albus could have cycled through sympathies, telling Scorpius about how much she didn't deserve him or how he'd find someone better. And whilst they would have held some truth, empty words of cliche phrases weren't his style. He knew no amount of reassurances would heal Scorpius' heart. All Albus could do was offer him comfort and support.

Albus climbed onto he bed with Scorpius, letting him rest his head on his chest. Albus' shirt soon became dampened with tears, but he didn't pay mind to it as he stroked Scorpius' soft hair soothingly. He was there to listen when Scorpius wanted to talk and stayed quiet when all he wanted was to be with someone.

In the wee hours of the morning, Albus to find that they were still cuddled up next to each other, his arms wrapped around his best friend's torso. Although he had no desire to let go of Scorpius, he didn't want his roommates suspecting anything more than they might have already. The '80s were a different time. Not nearly as progressive and open as the 21st century. Even though they were friends, Albus had no idea what his roommates might think if they saw him emerge from his best friend's bed that morning. Silently, he slipped out from behind the curtains, climbing into his own as if he'd been there all along.

He stared up at the green velvet canopy. The same canopy he'd stared at his first four years at Hogwarts during his many restless nights. Sometimes, when the room was empty or dark, he could pretend that nothing had changed--that he was still back in his time where he'd be able to get up and go see his James, Rose, or Lily at breakfast--or any of his relatives for that matter. Hogwarts was a particularly empty place without the abundance of family members that seemed to fill the castle.

Albus had hated that back in his day--often wishing he was an only child or held no relations to any other students. He hated carrying the weight of the Potter name above his head. Now, he'd gotten his wish, but he'd give anything to take it back.

Hogwarts wasn't devoid of Weasleys--it hardly ever was no matter what point in history they went back to. Albus had been there to see his uncle Charlie begin his Hogwarts journey as a fresh-faced and innocent eleven-year-old. He'd even seen flashes of his uncle Bill's Weasley-signature ginger hair around the corridors before Albus had to jump out of sight. He couldn't be seen in case either of them were to remember his face years from now when Albus would still be growing up. As much as he wanted to run over and hug them for some connection to his family, he knew it was impossible. 

His thoughts often drifted to how much he wished he could go back to The Burrow with them. His nan, young and chipper, would greet them with homemade baked goods and his grandad would go on about some new muggle invention that mystified him. There would sure be a lot in the coming years to keep him busy at work. Albus could even see his mum again--although she'd still be a toddler, which would be beyond strange. 

But everything was beyond strange ever since they'd gone back in time in the first place. Albus had only gotten accustomed to it because he had to. Forty years was far too long to sit around and wait for the day he could finally return to his parents and tell them that they had succeeded. Albus would be turning grey by then. He'd have lived more of a life than his very own parents. The thought made him shutter. It was anything but natural.

Albus was lost in his thoughts--which he so often fell habit to. He'd have stayed there all day if Toby hadn't jumped on his bed, causing him to startle out of his funk.

"Away with the fairies again, Alaric?" He smirked in a way much too like James. 

"Shut up," He grumbled, swatting at his fair-haired friend, "I was up late last night trying to help S--" Albus had to actively stop himself from saying Scorpius. "--Syrus." 

Toby frowned, "Right, I heard what happened with him and Elaine. We'll have to find a way to cheer him up. Nothing a little trip to Hogsmeade can't fix, eh?" He slapped Albus on the back before hopping off of the bed. "Meet you at breakfast then? Once that sad sack finally wakes up. Merlin knows you don't travel without him." With a teasing wink, he was off, leaving Albus to get himself ready for the day. 

His friends had all left by the time Albus had finished showering and dressing but Scorpius in bed. It was out of character for him to oversleep, usually awake before Albus to get some extra time to revise before lessons. 

Albus pushed back the curtains at the side of his bed, taking a seat on the edge. He poked Scorpius' side playfully. When he didn't stir, he tried again, managing to get a groan out of him. With a third poke, Scorpius rolled over, opening his eyes just enough to shoot Albus a glare.

"What do you want?" He grumbled groggily.

"Good morning, sunshine," Albus chuckled softly. "You'll be late to Herbology if you don't get up."

"I'm not getting up," Scorpius mumbled, burying his head deeper into his pillow.

"Well then, "Albus leaned back on his hands, getting into a more comfortable sitting position, "We'll both be late."

Scorpius huffed causing Albus to smirk. Scorpius would never be responsible for Albus missing lessons. Usually, it was Albus under the blankets, begging for another hour of sleep as Scorpius tried to pull him out of the bed. This role reversal was uncharted territory.

Sitting up, Scorpius rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, pulling his knees against his chest, "Can I just skip today? No, forget that, let's skip the rest of this term."

"Scorpius? Not wanting to go to school?" Albus feigned a gasp. "Unheard of!"

Scorpius used his pillow to smack him, "I'm serious, Al. I don't want to see her face."

Albus frowned, "You want to miss lessons just because of Elaine?" He hadn't realised just how much of an impact their relationship had on Scorpius' life. To Albus, he knew it was bound to end. There were too many complications with the timeline and the truth about where Scorpius came from. But perhaps, Scorpius hadn't seen it in the same way.

"Sorry I can't get over my first heartbreak in one day," Scorpius grumbled, setting his chin on his knees.

"I didn't realise it was that bad..."

Scorpius managed a little shrug, "You'll figure it out once you have your first relationship. It's like losing a piece of you," His voice cracked.

Albus placed a gentle hand on his best friend's arm, hating to see him hurting again, "I'm sure it's not much of a consolation, but you'll always have me."

Scorpius gave him a weak smile, repeating back, "You'll always have me."


	8. June 1985

#### June 1985

"We can't stay here, you know that right?" Scorpius shut the door to their attic bedroom causing Albus to jump in surprise from where he leaned against the headboard of his bed.

Fresh out of Hogwarts, he'd settled back into his summer routine, trying to ignore the dark storm cloud of adult-life that loomed over his head. Reality was bound to rain down on him at any moment, as Albus tried his best to remain in blissful ignorance. 

Soon he'd be getting his exam results back and from there he'd need a job. But for now, he had a home in Godrics Hollow and appreciated the care of old Bathilda. He hadn't thought about leaving yet, not when he was so young. Still seventeen, he didn't feel mature enough to go off and live on his own. He didn't know how to cook or budget or be a general functioning adult. 

"What do you mean?" Albus set down the journal he'd been mindlessly sketching in. Rain pattered down on the roof above him. Water plinked against a metal bucket across the room, slowly filling with the dripping water from a leak in the roof. The room flicked with a soft orange glow from the light of a candle on the bedside table that separated Albus' bed from Scorpius'. Despite the wild winds from the stormy night outside, the attic remained safe and cosy.

"I mean," Scorpius took a seat on the edge of Albus' bed, "For history to play out as it's supposed to, we can't continue to live with Bathilda. Goodness knows what we might have done already..."

"We can't just leave her!" Albus protested, "You've seen how she's changed. I don't know if she's fit to live on her own. Not at her age or in her condition." He cared for the old woman just as much as she'd cared for them the past few years. She'd become the closest thing he had left to family.

Frowning, Scorpius clearly didn't like the idea either, "I know, but we have to. She's meant to live alone. And we can't be here when she's--" He swallowed heavily, "When she's meant to die."

Albus hung his head but knew Scorpius was right. They weren't meant to be there. They couldn't stay for much longer without causing too many changes to history. 

"So..." Albus spoke with a heaviness in his chest, "What are we supposed to do now?"

Sighing in thought, Scorpius twisted himself so that he was facing Albus. He pulled his legs onto the bed, curling them to rest on his ankles. 

"We get jobs? Make some money to get a flat?" He suggested.

Getting a job worried Albus. Although he hadn't received his results from his exams yet, he was fairly confident he could land a job in potions of the field of magizoology. Scorpius' heart had always been set on being a professor since they were kids first starting at Hogwarts, but they both knew now that it was impossible in their situation. Scorpius couldn't be at Hogwarts while their parents were in school. Any wizarding job presented a risk of messing up history.

An idea started to tumble around in Albus' brain. He didn't love the thought and he knew Scorpius might disagree. But it might be their only safe option.

"This might sound crazy," Albus warned him.

Scorpius almost laughed, "Nothing sounds crazy to me anymore."

"What if we joined the muggles?"

"Sorry?" Scorpius blinked, his brow furrowing.

"Think about it," Albus leaned forward to describe his idea, "We are always going to be a risk to the wizarding world--we already have been just by going to Hogwarts in the first place. But in the muggle world, no one would know us. We could have whatever job we want and we could still use magic at home but we'd be less of a liability to history if we went off on our own."

Scorpius chewed on his lip, going over the idea in his head, "Do you really think that's our best option?"

Albus shrugged, "I don't know what's best anymore. No one does."

Glancing at his wand on his bed, Scorpius' eyes flickered with mixed emotions. He ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it as he got lost in thought. The flicker of candlelight cast soft shadows across his face, highlighting his high cheekbones and sharp jaw. Albus always admired how elegant Scorpius was, his Malfoy genes giving him a certain regality. Only the slight crook in his nose from when he'd broken it as a clumsy child set him apart from the rest of his family. He'd always been self-conscious of it but Albus insisted it made him special.

Albus reached out to Scorpius, tentatively placing his fingers on his jaw. Gently, he pushed his chin up, angling him so he was looking him in the eye.

"We're in this together," Albus spoke softly, "I'll be by your side no matter what. I've got you. You're my companion even through a world of darkness, remember?"

A pink flush crept up along Scorpius' pale cheeks. His eyes widened with a distant expression Albus had never seen before on his best friend. 

Curiously, Albus tilted his head, only to be met by Scorpius propelling forward. In just the blink of an eye, Albus felt Scorpius' lips upon his. For a moment, Albus' heart stopped, his body frozen in surprise before his blood started racing through his veins again with a new frantic energy. Almost instinctively, Albus' lips started to work with Scorpius', his eyes closing as his hand found his way to Scorpius' hair. Easing himself down so he didn't break the kiss, he rested his head against his pillow, letting Scorpius lie between his legs. His skin tingled as Scorpius' fingers brushed his hips just above the hemline of his trousers before curling under his back.

For the first time since they'd been displaced in time, Albus felt _right_ \--like this was where he was meant to be. In that moment, he forgot about going home because home was here, in Scorpius' arms.

Albus had been dreaming of a moment like this for years. But all too soon, it was over as Scorpius pulled away, his breathing quickened.

"S-sorry, I uh..." He tried to explain, eyes darting around the room nervously, as he used his sleeve to wipe his lips.

Albus sat up to face him, not needing an explanation, "It's okay, really." He reached out to take Scorpius' hand but he tensed, jerking it away. 

Shutting his eyes, his forehead creasing, Scorpius shook his head, "It was a bad idea. _This_ is a bad idea. I can't do this." He squeaked. 

"What?" Albus was confused. Scorpius had kissed _him_. Why all of a sudden was he acting so strange?

Scorpius couldn't look at him, "I shouldn't have done that. It's too soon after Elaine and--"

"Elaine? That was almost four months ago!"

"Well _sorry!_ " Scorpius spat, getting worked up now, "Sorry we were together for over a year and that takes some time to get over!"

Albus crossed his arms, "And you've barely mentioned her since then! So is it really Elaine you're missing or is it because she's a _girl?_ " He shot back.

Scorpius lowered his head, trying to keep his voice steady, "This isn't the 21st century anymore Albus..." 

"What?" Albus said with exasperation, "You don't think gay people exist in the '80s?" He let out a pitiful laugh.

"It's not--" Scorpius started to say but changed his mind, "I just can't do this right now, okay?" He picked himself off the bed.

"So am I just supposed to forget this ever happened? Because you're going to need a pretty strong obliviation spell for me to do that," Albus' voice cracked. He'd waited so long for that moment and now everything was falling to pieces.

"I don't know, Albus," Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his temples furiously, "My brain's in a million places right now. I just need to sort some things out."

"Yeah, I think you've got a lot to sort out," Albus grumbled, rolling over in his bed so he was facing the wall. 

"Albus..." Scorpius' voice came out weakly but Albus didn't respond. "Albus, please."

Instead of answering, Albus rolled over just long enough to blow out the candle, signalling that he was done with the conversation. After a moment of standing in the dark, Albus head the creak of the floorboards as Scorpius made his way to his own bed, the room left in silence.


	9. 1989

#### 1989

In the three years since leaving Hogwarts, life had changed dramatically for the boys. 

After receiving their exam results, they packed up their things and kissed Bathilda on the cheek goodbye, promising to visit. They decided to relocate to a city, where they'd be able to blend in easier amongst the muggles, hiding in plain sight. Although it had been their top choice, London was too obvious and would be too heavily impacted by the War. After much back and forth, they'd decided on Manchester, and quickly found a place to move in--with help for Bathilda of course, as they had yet to find jobs.

Blending into muggle life wasn't as easy as Albus had expected. Although they used magic in the privacy of their flat, they still needed to learn how to navigate the world without whipping a wand out at any second. There was a lot more to muggle life than Albus anticipated. Muggles were rich with culture from sports to shopping habits. Scorpius had been especially excited by the prospects of learning a whole new side of history, and, of course, the sweets aisle in the food shops.

Albus enjoyed the mundane side of muggle life. Even though he could apparate wherever he wanted, he sometimes liked taking little trips on public transport, just to watch the people. He decided that he learned the most from watching muggles, whether that be how they behaved on public busses or just how they enjoyed their days outside in the parks or at the pub. 

The most complicated part of joining the muggles was understanding their school and employment system. Hogwarts courses didn't align at all with what muggles were looking for and they hadn't had any proper qualifications to attend a university. 

Scorpius had long since given up on his hopes to be a teacher once he realised that muggle kids didn't learn the same history as Hogwarts students nor did they teach how to care for creatures that muggles didn't even know existed. But he'd found a job he liked just as much, working in the library. He always claimed that, magic or not, libraries didn't seem to change much at all--which he greatly appreciated.

Albus, on the other hand, struggled more with finding work. There wasn't much he could do with a CV full of faked qualifications and what little education he could claim he had. He took on odd jobs at first, ones that even the most clueless wizard could understand. Finally, after starting as a server in a pub, he'd taken interest in bartending, finding it similar to potions--and potentially less deadly if things went awry. It also gave him an opportunity to socialise with muggles without forming any friendships strong enough to cause confusion in the timeline. 

When Albus was on evening shifts, Scorpius often came to visit. He'd never been much of a fan of drinking and often found pub culture to be too loud and boisterous, but he didn't mind staying for a little bit after he got off work to keep Albus company.

That evening, Scorpius arrived a little before peak hours, cradling a little ceramic pot in his hands. Inside, a sad little plant seemed to be on the verge of flopping over.

"What you got there?" Albus asked, nodding at the potted plant whilst he wiped down glasses to prepare for the evening rush.

"This is Stewart," Scorpius smiled, placing the plant on the counter, "He was living with us at the library but he didn't seem to be getting enough sun. I'm taking him home to put on our balcony. Hopefully, that will cheer him up a bit!"

"Is there even any space left on our balcony?" Albus asked, chuckling as he pictured the little balcony off of their flat that looked like a jungle with the number of plants Scorpius had collected.

"I'll find some," Scorpius beamed, using his finger to gently prop up the plant, "Get me a glass of water, will you?"

Albus narrowed his eyes, "Just because I'm at work doesn't give you the right to boss me around," He pretended to be offended.

"Actually," Scorpius smirked, "I believe it does. That's your job, isn't it? _Bartender?_ " He dragged out the last word like a tease.

Albus rolled his eyes, fetching a glass of water, "Here you go, sir. That will be £40."

Scorpius quirked an eyebrow, "£40? For _water?_ "

"It's my job, right? And you're a customer. Gotta make money somehow. So £40, please." Albus leaned against the bar with a playful grin.

"You're a riot," Scorpius chuckled, rolling his eyes. He accepted the glass of water, pouring it into the little ceramic vase that held Stewart.

Fortunately for Scorpius, Albus wasn't able to return with a sarcastic comment as a real patron skipped over. 

"Hiya! Can I get three pints, please?" The young woman nodded over to her friends, "Whatever you think is best, we don't care." 

Albus nodded, grabbing three pint glasses and scanning over the labels on draft to decide what the girl and her friends might like best.

Leaning against the bar as she waited, the girl turned to Scorpius, eyeing the plant, "Seems like a funny thing to take to the pub," She giggled, nodding at Stewart.

From the corner of his eye, Albus could see Scorpius start to blush.

"Oh! Yes, I supposed it is. But I just got off work and was planning on bringing him home. His name is Stewart." He cringed slightly, apparently not pleased that he'd added the last part.

But the girl seemed to find his slip up charming, "Aww, Stewart, how lovely! Do you work with plants?"

"No, no, not really. I mean we have plants but not to work with. They're just there. For decoration, you know." Scorpius spoke quickly, clearly flustered.

"Ah, right," He hadn't really answered the question she'd implied, "So what do you do for work, then?"

"Oh! I'm a librarian..." Scorpius blushed again.

"That's £12.50 for the pints," Albus spoke up, placing the last pint glass on the bar for the girl. He'd set it down too heavily, the glass thudding as it hit the wood. Scorpius jumped.

"Oh right," The girl reached for the glasses, "I'll start a tab." She started carrying the glasses back to the table, pausing for a second to address Scorpius, "Nice meeting you...?"

"Oh! Syrus," Scorpius used his alias. Other than between the two of them, they never used their real names when introducing themselves to others.

"...Syrus. And Stewart, of course." She gave him a flirtatious wave before rejoining her friends.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Scorpius dropped his head into his hands, elbows propped up on the bar, "Wow, I seemed like a right weirdo, didn't I?"

"Yeah, a bit," Albus wasn't going to lie. He watched the girl from the corner of his eye, seeing her glance back at Scorpius every so often, causing Albus' stomach to twist up into knots.

It had been three years. _Three years_ and they'd never addressed the kiss. It had taken a few days for things to return to normal in their friendship, mostly due to Albus' stubbornness. He had trouble looking Scorpius in the eye for over a month after. But nothing since had been said about why Scorpius had kissed him or if he was gay, straight, bi, or anywhere in-between.

Every so often, their hands would accidentally brush, or they'd find themselves cuddling a little too closely on their sofa in front of the telly and they'd have to jump back, usually mumbling an awkward excuse. Albus' heart would always skip a beat. Even after everything that happened, Scorpius still made his heart do flips inside his chest. But he never acted on those feelings. Not on anyone.

He wanted to date. He wanted to feel loved and have someone wrap their arms around him and hold him tight. He wanted to feel a fire in his stomach and press his lips against another man's. But he didn't think it would ever come to happen. 

There were multiple reasons. He knew finding a man to date--someone he truly loved--would be considerably harder than it was for Scorpius to find a girl. Albus had never been to outgoing to start with and things were more difficult in the more closed off decade when he didn't already have the connection to the community. Albus also knew that he couldn't fall in love because he could never explain his past. And if he made a mistake and caused too much to change, he had no idea what effect it could have on the future. 

That, and he was still hopelessly in love with his best friend...


	10. 1992

#### 1992

Their fathers would be finishing their first year soon. Weird to think that Al was almost 23 whilst his father was eleven years old, only just starting to pave his way through the wizarding world.

Albus couldn't help but think of how they seemed to have reversed roles in their lifetimes. Harry hard started off in the muggle world, finding out about magic later in life whereas Albus left the wizarding world to live amongst the muggles.

Of the few muggle gadgets he and Scorpius had adopted into their lives, the television was Albus' favourite--closely followed by the toaster. Every evening when he wasn't working at the pub, he'd snuggled up on the sofa with his dinner to watch whatever programs were on that night. He always preferred the more dramatic shows--especially ones revolving around murders. He found muggle police particularly addicting to watch. Scorpius would often complain, wincing at any sign of violence or blood, much preferring a documentary or whatever was playing on the BBC. But they both could agree on comedies. They were always up for a laugh.

"What's on tonight?" Scorpius asked, hopping on the sofa with a bowl of crisps. He held them out for Albus to share.

Albus took a handful, "Just reruns." He bit into a crisp with a loud crunch, "Prawn cocktail?" He scrunched up his nose, not a favouring of the flavour.

Scorpius shrugged, "You ate all the cheese and onion. This is all that we had left."

Albus didn't complain further, continuing to eat the crisps anyway as he focused in on the show. It was another one of his murder mystery shows. Scorpius looked less pleased with the viewing selection.

Wincing as the detectives began investigating the bloody crime scene, Scorpius spoke up, "Albus, isn't there something a little less grim on?"

Albus sighed but handed the remote to Scorpius to chose. He'd seen the episode already anyway. 

"Not a bloody soap opera," Albus groaned. He'd have rather watched the news.

"It's not a soap opera, it's a _drama_ ," Scorpius corrected him. 

"Same difference." 

Despite his complaining, Albus soon found himself invested in the plot. Mindlessly munching on the crisps with his eyes glued to the telly, he didn't notice when the bowl was empty. Reaching in for another handful, his hand instead brushed up against Scorpius', who'd been aiming for more as well.

Albus snapped his hand back, looking over at Scorpius, who shared a similar expression.

"Oh, uh sorry." Albus apologised, immediately wishing he hadn't said anything. Apologising only made things more awkward, addressing that he felt he needed to apologise for just touching Scorpius. He could have ignored it: Played it off casually as if nothing happened. They were friends, they were allowed to touch, right? It didn't need to be a big deal.

"It's fine. Really," Scorpius tugged at his sleeves, adding to the increased tension between them.

This happened all too often. Little mistakes that resurfaced memories from that night in the attic. No matter how hard they tried to keep things normal between them, that was always going to be a part of their past. Albus couldn't forget that Scorpius had kissed him.

"You know," Scorpius spoke hesitantly, his eyes flickering over to look at Albus every so often, "the other day I was shelving books with Rachel--you know Rachel, right? The one with dark hair and glasses? Volunteers from the university?--we were chatting, which was all well and good. But then, she kept talking about restaurants she wanted to try and complaining about how she had no one to go with." Scorpius scratched the back of his neck as he continued, "I didn't really think much of it at the time, but after, Beth came over and told me that Rachel had been trying to get me to ask her out. On a date. Can you believe that?"

Albus kept his eyes fixed on the telly, although he was hardly watching the show, "Oh? So are you going to?" He said with little enthusiasm.

"Uh, no. I don't think so," Scorpius frowned slightly.

"So, why are you bringing it up?" Albus tried to hide the bitterness in his voice. 

Bowing his head a bit, Scorpius shrugged, "I dunno. Just a funny anecdote really." After a moment, he added, "Do you think I should?"

"Should what?"

"Ask her out?"

Albus pulled his knees up against his chest, "You know how I feel about dating."

"I know..." Scorpius glanced over at him, "But don't you want to know what it's like? To fall in love?"

"Not really." He hated the subject of love and dating. If he'd forbidden himself from falling in love, talking about it only increased the temptation. Like setting a bone in front of a dog and telling him not to touch it. The more he thought about it, the more he yearned for a relationship. 

"Oh," Scorpius sounded disappointed, turning his focus back to face the screen. "Forget I brought it up then."

_Forget_. Albus wished he could.


	11. 1994

#### 1994

Albus was looking far too much like his father. 

Staring at himself in the mirror of the loo, he brushed his fingers over his stubbly jawline. He'd thought that growing out a beard might be a nice change--switch up his look a bit. But it only caused memories of his father to resurface.

It had been thirteen years since he saw his father, but his image was still burned into his memory, clear as the day he last saw him. Although Albus lacked the glasses and scar and had yet to develop the wrinkles to match, he looked strikingly similar with the scruff to match. So much so that passing his reflection almost always caused him to do a double-take, his heart leaping.

But he'd long since given up hope that his father would be able to find him. Of all the places, why would he choose muggle Manchester in the mid-90s? His family had probably long moved past searching for him and Scorpius. Albus wondered if they'd had a funeral for him. For all they knew, he could be dead. He was just as well as dead to them by now.

Albus picked up his razor, lathering his chin with shaving cream and removing the hair from his face until his skin was as smooth as a child's. Although he'd appreciated the mature look facial hair had given him, he prefered to keep his babyface over seeing his father's every day. 

After drying his face, Albus emerged into the bedroom to find Scorpius rearranging the books on his bookshelf.

Renting a one-bedroom flat was far cheaper than any of the other options they'd viewed when moving to Manchester. Neither of them minded sharing the room. In fact, Albus liked it. He didn't like being alone, especially not at night. It wasn't anything different from their dormitory at Hogwarts or their shared attic room. 

They'd each taken a side of the room with a single bed. They had separate wardrobes but shared a desk--Albus didn't use it much anyway. Each side was decorated to their liking, Albus with posters pasted on the walls and Scorpius with shelves of various trinkets and clutter he'd collected over the years. 

Upon hearing the door open, Scorpius turned to look at Albus, his eyebrows bouncing upwards.

"You've shaved," He noted.

"Yep," Albus ran a hand over his smooth chin, adjusting to the feeling.

"Looks good," Scorpius nodded in approval before scanning Albus' whole figure, "You look good today."

Albus bit his lip, "Thanks." He fiddled with the button of his denim jacket. Of the decades he'd lived through, Albus prefered the emerging 90's fashion the best. It reminded him most of home, with baggy jumpers, jeans, and grunge flannels. It was most similar to what he'd have worn back in his time, although the hair varied. He never adjusted his hair to fit the current trends, hardly touching his mess of curls. 

Scorpius, who kept his style much more clean-cut and proper, always moaned about how Albus needed to fix his hair. _'At least run a brush through it or something!'_ He'd often complain when Albus would be about to head out without hardly touching his hair.

Today seemed no difference as Albus felt Scorpius' eyes falling atop his head. He approached Albus with an outstretched arm.

"Can I just--?" He brushed his fingers through Albus' hairs, rearranging a few of his curls so they didn't stick out at such odd angles anymore. "There. That's better." He smiled, not moving from where he stood in front of him, his eye contact unbreaking.

"Thanks," Albus didn't move, trying not to think about how nice Scorpius' eyes looked in the sunlight from the window.

Reaching out again, Scorpius' hands fiddled with the collar of Albus' jacket, "You really do look good..." He murmured, straightening his collar. 

His fingers lingered on the hem on the denim, as his eyes flickered up to Albus' face. He swallowed as his eyes fell on Albus' lips. Albus didn't dare flinch. Not even taking a breath.

In a split-second decision, Scorpius tugged Albus' collar, pulling him closer as he smashed his lips against Albus'. 

Albus felt as if he was a kid again, back in the little attic room in Godric's Hollow. Scorpius lips felt exactly as he remembered them--soft, not too forceful as if there was still some timidness behind them. He tasted mintier this timer, fresh and sweet, like a Pepper Imp.

Albus started to deepen the kiss, hands moving to grasp Scorpius' hips before he thought better of it. He pulled away before he could get any more attached, although he heart screamed in protest. He stumbled back a few steps, putting some distance between them.

"You're not putting me through this again, Scorpius," His voice came out as more of a growl, a lot lower than he expected.

"I--I'm sorry," Scorpius started to stutter, as if taken aback by his own boldness, "I shouldn't have but I--"

"You're the one who said you couldn't do this. You're the one who never spoke about what happened." Albus stomped his foot, "I'm not going to let you break my heart again."

"B-break your heart?" He looked stunned by the statement.

Albus couldn't hold back anymore, he needed to get everything that he'd been bottling up for so long off his chest. He needed to be able to breathe again. To clear his head once and for all.

"I don't know what you think this is but I can't have you going around kissing me whenever you feel so compelled. You'll get my hopes up only to smash them into pieces again like you did when we were teenagers. Back then, you said you needed to sort things out and maybe you still do. But I already have. I've known for a long time now and I can't have you messing with my head anymore. I'm gay, Scorpius. And I know I can never date or marry anyone because of this stupid time thing but that doesn't change how I feel. Or the fact that I've been madly in love with you since we met on the train as kids. And when you kissed me all those years ago? I thought to myself, _'This is it. This is what I've been waiting for all my life'_. But after? I felt like I was some stupid mistake you made. That it was nothing but an impulsive decision because of crazy hormones or whatever. But we're adults now and I won't let you put me through that again!" 

A silence lingered over them as Scorpius stared open-mouthed at Albus, not knowing how to respond. Albus caught his breath, standing tall despite the confession that would have mortified him ten years ago. But a lot had happened in those ten years and somehow, Albus had finally found the confidence to speak up for himself. He wasn't going to be used. Not again.

To Albus' surprised, instead of or arguing back or making another excuse, Scorpius let out a choked sob. Face flushed pink, Scorpius looked down at his shaking hands, trying to hide the tears brimming in his eyes.

"I'm s-sorry, Al," He finally uttered, his voice wobbling uncontrollably, "I'm s-so sorry."

Albus's expression softened, feeling the urge to pull his best friend into a hug. He'd always been there to comfort Scorpius and having to hold himself back made him feel horrible.

"I--I didn't know how much that hurt you," Scorpius spoke, hardly above a whisper, tears streaming down his cheeks. He sank down to the floor, sitting on his knees as he let out a loud sob.

Biting his lip, unsure of how to approach the situation, Albus crouched down beside him. He didn't regret what he said, but seeing Scorpius in so much pain reminded him all too much of the long lonely nights when they were 14. He hadn't seen Scorpius break down so hard since they were first displaced in time--not even when Elaine broke up with him at Hogwarts.

"Calm down, Scorp," Albus tentatively reached out, placing a hand on his arm to try and ground him, "Deep breaths. Breathe."

After a few gasping breaths, Scorpius was able to get a few words out, "I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Af-fraid of falling in love with you."

Now Albus had to remind himself to breath, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest, "Afraid to fall in love with me? Why? Because I'm a--"

Scorpius cut him off, shaking his head, "No. Not that. I don't care about that."

A little pressure lifted from Albus' chest.

"I don't want to fall in love with you because I don't want you to leave me," Scorpius finally admitted in a weak voice. He glanced up at Albus for only a second before he started to use his sleeves to dab at his eyes.

"Why would I leave you?"

Scorpius sniffled, steadying his voice just enough so that he could explain, "If this--if we didn't work out. If you broke my heart like Elaine did. I'd have no one left. I lost my mom when I was a kid and then I lost my dad only a year later. You're all I have. I can't lose you too."

Now Albus was speechless. Frozen with his lips parted, his hand still resting on Scorpius' shoulder.

"That's why I acted the way I did when I kissed you the first time. I panicked. I didn't want to risk losing you." 

Finally, Albus found his ability to move again, pulling Scorpius into a crushing hug. Scorpius nestled his head into the crook of Albus' shoulder, grasping his curls to draw him closer.

"I love you Scorpius. I'm never going to leave you. I could never let you go."


	12. 1998

#### 1998

The War had ended. Albus couldn't go a day without seeing his father's face on the cover of The Daily Prophet. He read the newspaper every day--he was really starting to feel old now and he hadn't even hit thirty yet.

When the image of a burning Hogwarts graced their kitchen table the morning of the May 3rd, Albus and Scorpius couldn't hold back tears. Seeing their childhood home crumbling and in ruins hit them harder than they'd ever expected. Even knowing the fate of the world didn't soften the blow.

"What's your father up to today?" Scorpius asked as he stepped into the kitchen at breakfast time. He pressed a kiss to Albus' temple before he started about preparing his breakfast.

Nursing a cup of coffee, Albus' eyes darted across the headlines of the morning's latest edition of the Daily Prophet, his father's name jumping out at him all across the page. He turned the paper out to show his boyfriend the boldest headline.

Scorpius squinted from across the kitchen to read aloud, "Hogwarts Heroes Potter and Weasley to join Aurors. Granger to return to Hogwarts." 

"So it begins," Albus sat back in his seat, setting the paper down. "Won't be long now until all the articles about my parent's wedding are all over the news. Bizarre, isn't it?"

"I find it more bizarre how your uncle Ron went from being an Auror to running a joke shop!" Scorpius noted, sitting down across the table with his toast and marmalade. 

Albus shrugged, "That's uncle Ron for you."

Over the past few years, Albus had learned a lot about his family through the papers--the good and the bad. He'd known all about this father's triumphs through the history books but Albus realised just how much had been glossed over. His father never mentioned Rita Skeeter's rubbish articles during the Triwizard Tournament--most articles of which he only skimmed as it was still a sore subject for Albus to look back on. He never even knew that his dad had once been Undesirable Number 1. His whole childhood, he grew up thinking that the wizarding world always thought Harry Potter was perfect. Living through those years told him otherwise 

Looking back, there was so much Albus regretted saying to his father. All the useless arguments he could have avoided and all the harsh words that should have never been exchanged. If Albus had only known...

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" His boyfriend could read him too well.

"It's hard not to."

Scorpius reached out, placing his hand over Albus' and giving it a soft squeeze, "You couldn't have known what it was like for him. We were just kids, there's a lot we don't know about our parents."

"I know," Albus sighed, "I just wish he could have told me. I might have thought different of him."

"Do you think my dad told me all about him being a Deatheater?" Scorpius quirked an eyebrow. "Of course not! Because there are just some things people don't want to share, especially with their kids. I imagine your father wanted you to look up to him for all the good he did, not the rubbish that happened to him."

"Fat good that did him. I used to really hate him sometimes, you know? I despise thinking about it now, but it's true." Albus lowered his head.

"You were fourteen, Al. You can't keep blaming yourself," Scorpius reassured him, rubbing his thumb in circles over the back of his hand.

"But if I had known, maybe this--" He motioned around vaguely, "--wouldn't have happened."

"This as in...?" Scorpius slowly retracted his hand.

Albus quickly shook his head, "Not as in us. Us together. I'm happy about that, believe me. But being trapped in another time. I miss my family, Scorp."

Scorpius' slumped in his seat, "I know. I do too. Even after all these years."

"In the fight with my father--the one that caused all this--you know what he said?" Scorpius knew far too well by now, but he didn't stop him. "He said that sometimes, he wished I wasn't his son. Well look, he got his wish. Now, I'm no one's son. I'm some random 20-something with no family and a made-up name."

"He didn't mean it, Al. He never could have guessed anything like this would happen. No one could have."

"Do you think we could have done something differently?" Albus cocked his head, curiously as if he hadn't asked the same question a million times before.

With a shrug, Scorpius took a sip of his tea, "Wouldn't do us much good now."

"What if we'd gotten another time turner? From the Ministry before they were destroyed?" The gears in Albus' head began to turn as he theorised solutions.

"They wouldn't be able to turn time as far as we needed to travel. Our time turner was special," Scorpius said as if he'd thought about it before. "Besides, I don't think the Ministry would be too convinced by two kids begging for a powerful magical device claiming they were from the future."

"Okay so," Albus rubbed his chin, not giving up, "What about the time turner we had? What if we stole it ourselves to go forward in time?"

Scorpius shook his head, "Then how would we have gone back in time in the first place? If we could do that, we wouldn't be here now. And even if that was possible, we would be 14 one day and 30 the next. I think that would be rather suspicious, don't you?"

Albus couldn't argue with Scorpius logic. He sat back in his chair in a huff. He wished there could have been another way.

Scorpius sighed, sitting up to reach across the table again. He held out his palms, motioning for Albus to put his hands on his.

Holding his boyfriend's hands, he looked Albus in the eye, "Instead of focusing on what we could have done, le's be thankful for what we have. I have you. And I'm happy."

Slowly, Albus felt a smile spread across his face as he looked back at the love of his life, "With you, I'm happy."


	13. 2007

#### 2007

Taking walks in the park had become a daily past time for Albus and Scorpius. They'd never really appreciated having close access to a lush green space in the city until they got Sophie, a perky golden retriever, who couldn't a day without visiting the park. 

She trotted proudly ahead of them on the pavement, her tongue out as she smiled at others passing by. Scorpius gripped the leash tight, knowing she could take off any moment if she caught sight of a squirrel.

Albus walked alongside him, his hands stuffed in his coat pockets. It was hard not to automatically link his hand with Scorpius' but they were still wary of showing any public forms of affection. Things were loosening up now but they'd grown older in a time far less accepting than the one they came from. Better safe than sorry sometimes...

On Autumn days like these, Albus always found himself admiring the trees. Autumn, in his opinion, was the best season, although Scorpius liked to argue that it was spring. It was cool enough to wear a cosy jumper or a light jacket but you'd be far from freezing. And the city was at it's most beautiful time--peaking when the trees all changed colour but still enough life to keep the grass green and the birds singing. 

"Woah!" 

Albus' turned his attention away from the trees to his boyfriend, who stumbled forward as Sophie tugged on her lead. He looked down the path, wanting to see what had grabbed the dog's attention to see a woman heading in the coming direction. Sophie seemed to be eyeing the woman's pram excitedly, her tail wagging as she caught sight of the small child sitting inside.

Noticing the dog, the young toddler squealed, pointing a chubby finger at Sophie. 

"Do you see the doggy, Mira? Can you say _'hi doggy'?_ " The mom encouraged in a cooing voice.

" _Dagdagdag!_ " The baby chattered, making grabbing motions. 

Scorpius and Albus smiled politely as the woman strolled on past. Sophie paused, looking back at the baby one last time before continuing her energetic gait down the path. Albus noticed Scorpius glancing back as well, something flickering in his eyes.

"I want a baby," Albus heard Scorpius mumble, almost causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Sorry?" Albus blinked, wanting to make sure he heard him correctly.

With a blush, Scorpius spoke a little bit clearer, "I said, I want a baby. They're just so tiny and squishy." He mimed pinching a baby's cheeks. "And wouldn't you just love to have a little you running around?"

"There already is a little you running around somewhere. And it's literally you..." Albus stated, biting his lip. He didn't like to think about how he was out there somewhere, only a year old. Knowing there was two of him in the world caused him to shutter. The world didn't need two Albus Potters. It had hardly survived with just one.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you about the basic rules of human anatomy, but we happen to be very much both male." Albus gave him a tilted grin, prompting Scorpius to give him a playful smack on the arm.

"Don't get smart. I know that." He added in a slightly more timid voice, "But there's still adoption..."

Albus paused, "Wait, are you serious?"

Scorpius stopped as well, prompting Sophie to give them a backwards glance as to wonder why they'd stopped moving, "I dunno." Scorpius shrugged, "Is that something you'd be interested in?"

"Scorp, believe me, I'm beyond honoured that you'd want to raise a kid with me," Albus couldn't deny the tugging in his chest, wanting to love the idea, "But I don't know if we could with the--"

"--The timeline," Scorpius sighed, glancing at his shoes, "I know..."

Feeling a pang in his chest, Albus ignored his no-PDA rule and reached for his boyfriend's hand, "Hey, in any other world, I'd have said yes."

Scorpius managed a smile, "I know." 

"I'm thrilled you would even trust me to be a dad," Albus grinned, "I've definitely struggled in the whole father-son relationship department."

"I think you'd be a wonderful father," Scorpius told him, wholeheartedly.

"Y-you do?"

He nodded, "You're the kindest, most supportive person I know. You're always there to comfort me but you're not afraid to poke fun and have a laugh. I think any kid would be lucky to have you as a father."

Albus' cheeks were starting to ache from how wide he was smiling, "I love you. So much, you know that?"

Scorpius beamed back, "I do." 


	14. 2014

#### 2014

Streetlamps lit the way down the old familiar road in Godric's Hollow. It had been years since they'd last visited--not since they came for dear old Bathilda's funeral. Not much had changed in the old village since they were kids. Only they had changed, now in their early 40's--full-grown adults by any definition. When they arrived in Godric's Hollow all those years ago, they never would have guessed they could make it to this point.

In the brisk night air, Scorpius and Albus huddled close together, arms and bodies intertwined for warmth and comfort. The village was quiet except for the soft whistling of the breeze of early spring and the crunch of their feet against the frozen ground and unmelted snow. The stars danced above them, Scorpius' eyes scanning the sky, mapping out the constellations. 

The windows of the half-timbre houses were aglow, as the residents gathered inside by their fireplaces or watching the telly. Every so often, a room or two would go dark as curtains were drawn or lights turned off, indicated that it was getting late. But Albus and Scorpius had long since lost track of time, enjoying the night walk in the charming village before they would apparate back to their city flat.

As Albus had grown older, he learned to appreciate the quiet moments in life much more--his impatience and need for action fizzling out long ago. He'd had enough wild adventures for one lifetime. What he enjoyed the most now was stability and tranquillity--nights like this with Scorpius by his side, forever and always.

As they passed St Jerome's chapel, Albus paused to look up at the pointed stained glass windows. Flickering candlelight from inside caused colourful patches of light to dance across the snow-dusted pavement below his feet. The rainbow glow highlighted Scorpius' features as Albus turned to his boyfriend and best friend. 

The box resting securely in Albus' pocket seemed to dig into his side, even though his thick jumper. Albus took a long inhale. The moment had come and it was time to make his move.

Scorpius tilted his head, eyeing Albus curiously, "Why are you staring at me like that?" He giggled.

Albus cleared his throat, his gloved fingers fidgeting as he began to speak, "Scorpius, when we first arrived in Godric's Hollow as kids, I thought that was the end. I couldn't picture living a life past that moment. Everything had gotten so confused and I didn't know what would become of us," He lifted his head to look his boyfriend in the eyes, reaching out to take his hands, "But look at us now. We're two old men--" Scorpius chuckled at that. "--and we've come so far. And despite everything we've been through, you've never left my side. And I've never wanted you to."

"Companions through eternal darkness, remember?" Scorpius mused softly.

Albus smiled, "Except it's never been all that dark. Because--as cliche as it might sound--you're my light, Scorpius."

A blush crept upon his cheeks, still taken by Albus after all these years, "Why, that's a nice thing to say." He squeaked.

"And," Albus continued, "Believe me, I've wanted to do this for a very long time now but thanks to government and it's outdated beliefs, I've only just gotten the ability to make it a reality."

"What do you mean?" Scorpius' brow furrowed but there was a sparkle in his eye as if he already had a clue of what the answer might be.

Letting go of Scorpius hands, Albus reached into his pocket, pulling out the little velvet box as he began to lower himself onto one knee. The ground was rough and cold on his leg but he could hardly tell, his focus set on his boyfriend, and trying not to drop the box as his shaking hands fumbled with the clasp.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, we may not be at the return of eternal darkness, but I still choose you for eternity. Will you do me the honour and marry me?" 

Scorpius had no hesitation. He didn't even give Albus the chance to stand, instead, dropping to his knees beside him and drawing him into a passionate kiss. 

"I take that as a yes?" Albus laughed, teary-eyed as they finally pulled away from each other.

"Of course, you idiot."


	15. 2020

#### 2020

Albus took the hand of his husband of six years. Their eyes met, Scorpius' just as dazzling as they had been when they first met on the train four or forty-four years ago. So much had changed since then but Scorpius still managed to take Albus' breath away, even with the new wrinkles that had appeared on his skin over the years or the grey hairs that sprung up between the blond. Even if they hadn't gotten lost in time, Albus couldn't imagine spending his life with another man.

"Are you ready?" He asked, giving Scorpius' hand a squeeze.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Funny," Albus thought aloud, "How I've had forty years to prepare for this day, but I'm still incredibly nervous."

In truth, they'd been counting down the days since what would be their first year at Hogwarts. The closer the big day loomed, the harder it felt to wait. Albus hardly got a wink of sleep last night, knowing today would be the day they would see their families again.

The clock on their the wall of their flat chimed.

"It's time," Albus stated, giving one last look at his husband before they were whisked away with the crack! 

When Albus saw Scorpius again, they were on the front stoop of a familiar old house. Albus swallowed back the lump in his throat. He hadn't seen his house since he'd left for his fourth year at Hogwarts forty years ago. But to his parent's, those forty years had taken place in just a mere few days.

His parents. He was going to see his parents again. Albus' stomach started to do flips and he couldn't tell if he was more nervous or excited. Would they even recognise him? How would he summarize the past four decades of his life? Would they be able to accept him as their son now that he was an old man? When they'd seen him only hours before, he was only just hitting puberty and now he was older than they were. There was no telling what their reaction would be. 

Movement from the sitting room window caught Albus' eye. He saw shadows moving from behind the curtains and a muffled voice could be heard. Although he couldn't make out any exact words, the higher-pitched tone must have been coming from his mother. A lower one followed, speaking much slower than the others.

Scorpius' eyes widened, turning silently to Albus. He knew what he was thinking. Scorpius struggled to hide his jitteriness as he heard his father's voice for the first time since he was a teenager.

With a deep breath and a confirming nod from his husband, Albus raised his hand slowly to give a few hard knocks on the door. It certainly felt strange knocking on the door to his own home. But it hadn't been his home in forty years--not really. His home was wherever Scorpius was.

The knock echoed throughout the house, the muffled conversations immediately ceasing, replaced by the rumble of footsteps. The door opened with the creak, revealing a familiar face.

"Hi, mum..."

With wide eyes, brimmed red from tears, Ginny scanned over the man in front of her as if he was an intricate puzzle that needed to be worked out. Another head poked out from behind her, the round glasses all too recognisable as the eyes behind them narrowed.

"A-Albus?" His mum's voice cracked, "Is that you?"

Nodding slowly, he could feel tears welling in his eyes. She approached him slowly, placing a gentle hand on his cheek to get a better look at him. Something flashed in her eyes as she started weeping softly, pulling him into an embrace.

"Surprise...!" Scorpius spoke awkwardly, spreading out his hands, not quite sure how else to approach the situation.

"Scorpius!" Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he managed to recognise the older man.

"Scorpius?" A low voice gasped from behind Harry, "Let me see my son." Draco pushed past Harry freezing upon finding Scorpius just outside the door.

"My!" Draco exclaimed, "You've gotten..."

"Old?" Albus filled in as his mother released him from the hug. "A lot has happened since we last saw you..."

In Harry's eyes, Albus could see what looked like a glimmer of understanding as the pieces began to click together, "The time turner..."

"Come in, come in," Ginny stepped aside, ushering them in, "Sit down. We must talk."

Soon, Albus found himself planted on the sofa next to his parents, still staring at him as if they weren't sure of what to make of him. They could still see their son, somewhere under the wrinkles and the greys but they couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. No one quite knew what to say or where to begin.

"We missed you. Every day." Scorpius finally spoke up. "It never did get any easier."

"How long have you been...out on your own?" Ginny asked, not entirely sure how to phrase it.

"Forty years," Albus admitted, "We were sent back to Godric's Hollow. October 30th, 1981. The night--"

"--The night my parents died," Harry's head shot up in realisation, "She was trying to kill me, wasn't she?"

"Delphi, what happened to Delphi?" Draco sat forward as if the threat was immediate.

"She's dead, dad. We, uh, had some help there." Scorpius answered, his eyes flickering to Albus as they remembered dear old Bathilda and the risk she took for them. They'd never be able to repay her for her trust and care. "And the time turner was destroyed."

Ginny let out a sigh of relief, "When nothing changed, we thought--well we knew--you must have been successful. But you hadn't returned and we weren't sure if you..."

Albus took his mother's hand with a squeeze, "We were fine. But we were stuck. Lost to time until we could come home again."

"You lost us for a day. We lost you for decades." Scorpius nodded solemnly.

"We wanted to go back!" Harry spoke up, getting to his feet to pace. It always helped him think in a distressing situation. "When we got the second time turner, we were desperate. But we didn't know when in time you could have ended up. We've been hoping for a sign or perhaps your return but..."

"Wait," This time, Albus was the one on his feet, " _Second_ time turner? There's another time turner?"

All eyes turned to Draco as he pulled out a glimmering gold necklace from the pocket of his robes. Albus hadn't seen the object since theirs had been destroyed all those years ago. Just the sight of it made his jaw clench and heart pound.

"I don't believe it," Scorpius muttered in awe. "Have you had this all this time?" He asked his father in a slightly accusatory tone. 

"I'm sure you understand why I never told you about it. No need to feed the rumours..."

"Do you realise what this means?" Albus exclaimed, rushing over to inspect the time turner. It was exactly like the modified device that they'd used--even better even. "You could go back!" He whipped around to face his family, his excitement childlike again. "You know where we are now. You could go and get us back from the past!"

Harry, Ginny and Draco exchanged glances, eager to say yes. His father already started moving towards the time turner, ready to jump into action when Ginny seemed to think better of it.

"Wait!" She called out, getting to her feet as well. She approached Scorpius and Albus, "What would that mean for the two of you?" 

Scorpius looked at Albus and knew exactly what would become of them, "We would cease to exist as we are now." 

"But, your life Scorpius!" Draco furrowed his brow, "You'd lose all that you've become. Are you willing to give that up?"

Scorpius thought for a moment, then smiled at Albus, "I've lived a good life. What about you, Al?"

Albus smiled back before turning to address the parents, "I've lived a life, that's for sure--through the good and the bad. But it wasn't my life. It was the life of Alaric Fleamont and Syrus Bagshot," He smirked at Scorpius, knowing he'd be the only one to understand. "But I think I'm ready to take on the world again as Albus Potter as long as I still have Scorpius Malfoy by my side."

With a loving nudge, Scorpius nodded in agreement, "We've had our fun. But I think we'd be better off with our own families in our own timeline."

"Then it's settled!" Harry clapped his hands together, seemingly relieved that was the option they chose. "Let me fetch my cloak."

Draco followed Harry's lead but Ginny lingered behind, getting a good look at her son.

"I've missed you, mum," Albus spoke softly. "I know for you it hasn't been long, but I missed you so much."

"You've grown into quite the man," She reached up, taking his cheek in her hand, "I can tell you're a good man. A strong one. Probably stronger than I'll ever be. And as strange as it is to see you this way, I'm so glad you came back."

"You're not too weirded out that I'm older than you, then?" He teased.

Ginny laughed, "Oh no, I very much am. But I can still see my little boy behind those eyes. Those beautiful green eyes." She stared deeply at him for a moment before stepping back to address Scorpius as well.

"Are you sure you two are comfortable with us bringing you back? You don't even want to tell us where you've been all these years?" 

Albus exchanged a glance with Scorpius both shaking their heads as something wordless passed between them. They'd made their decision. They would be getting their lives back. It was all they could have hoped for.

"The less you know, the better, I think. You'll have us back and we will be none the wiser. Best it stay that way." Albus told her. He didn't know if his past self could handle knowing about the whole other life he lived. He wondered if he'd find a way to compare himself to the other version of him. He didn't want to feel like he had to live up to something--not anymore. He just wanted to be himself. The true Albus Potter he was meant to be.

With a nod, Ginny took his left hand to squeeze. Her skin brushed against the metal around his finger. Glancing down, she noticed the ring and let out a soft gasp.

"Y-you're married?" Her eyes widened, running her finger over the ring. "Do they know about all this?" She asked with concern for his spouse. 

Albus chuckled, "Oh yeah, they know it _all._ " He shot his husband a knowing look.

Beaming with pride, Scorpius raised his hand, showing her the matching silver band around his ring finger. It took a second to click before she threw her arms around Scorpius, giving her son-in-law a cuddle. 

Upon releasing him, she stepped back to look at them, pride radiating for her teary eyes, "I really have missed a lot haven't I?" 

"Afraid so," Albus hummed.

"Gin, are you ready?" Harry's voice called to her as he stepped into the doorframe.

Turning back to her sons, she looked them over one last time, "I suppose I will be seeing you soon then? But perhaps not like this for a while." She grinned.

"A _loooong_ while, I hope," Scorpius chuckled.

She turned to join her husband but Albus reached out one last time "Oh and mum?" She paused, tilting her head to see what was the matter. "Perhaps don't mention the whole marriage thing, yeah? I think I want to sort that out for myself." He held out his hand behind him, finding his husband's to interlace their fingers.

Ginny winked, pretending to zip her lips shut, "Of course."

Joining Harry and Draco, Ginny gave them one last wave.

"Good luck!" Scorpius wished them well.

"Say hi to Bathilda for us!" Albus added with a smirk.

"Bathilda?" Draco managed to question out loud just before the air cracked and they disappeared in a flash, leaving Albus and Scorpius alone once again. 

With a satisfied sigh, Albus turned to face his husband, holding his hands across the gap between them, "So this is it." 

He couldn't believe the time had actually come. Forty years of waiting and now he had a chance to have his own life back. No more hiding under the guise of Alaric Fleamont--Alaric _Bagshot_ now. Never did he think he'd have a chance to go back and do it all over again. It was bittersweet. He'd be fixing the timeline and getting back what he lost, but he'd be losing a part of himself as well. 

"Guess we're really facing the edge of eternal darkness now, huh?" Scorpius smiled despite the grim situation. 

"And there's no one I'd rather have by my side," Albus finished, bringing his husband in for one last kiss.

Foreheads pressed together, his eyes remaining shut, Albus whispered, "Thanks for being my companion, Scorp. I'm proud to call you my husband." 

"I love you," Scorpius' voice already sounding distant. 

Albus no longer felt his feet against the floor. A chill rose throughout him, a tingling feeling spreading across him--not threatening, but welcoming. Albus allowed himself be absorbed by the feeling. His ears starting to ring, a soft ticking in the distance growing louder and louder as everything else around him seemed to be fading away. All he could feel was Scorpius' hands in his and that's all that mattered.

"I love you too," His final words escaped his lips as Alaric Bagshot disappeared into oblivion--his existence erased from the history of time.


	16. November 1981

#### November 1981

Albus opened his weary eyes, struggling to stay awake after a restless night. Every time he tried to close his eyes, he'd been struck by flashing images of the past days’ events--Delphi, Craig's death, and hearing his grandparent's murder. He stepped out onto the front step of Bathilda's house for some fresh air. He'd hoped the chill in the air would help him wake up, but he still felt heavy with exhaustion, his eyes threatening to close at any moment.

Staring out at the village road in front of him, he wondered if this would be his new home forever. How long would Bathilda let them stay? Would he ever be able to see his family again? Or would he be lost in time forever?

The worrying thoughts raced through his mind, almost distracting him from his eyes slowly shutting. The world began to grow blurry, darkening as his head started to fall.

A flash of light from the road in front of him caused Albus to stir awake, lifting his head to see three people who hadn't been there before. Rubbing his eyes, Albus thought he was seeing things, somehow hallucinating the group of cloaked figures. 

"Albus!" 

Was he hearing things now? Albus shook away his drowsiness, focusing on the figures approaching. As they grew closer, he spotted an all too familiar head of red hair.

"Mum?" Albus sprang to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest as he took off running towards the group, shouting with joy.

"Mum! Dad!" He lept into the awaiting arms of his parents. Seeing the commotion from the window, Scorpius burst out of the house, bounding towards his father. 

"You found us! You found us!" Scorpius cried out with glee.

Albus didn't know how it happened, but he was reunited with his family once again. For good this time.

All was right in the world again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were so many other scenes I could have included in this--more with Bathilda, interactions with some notable professors *cough* Snape *cough*, and more about their "muggle" lives--but this was already so much longer than I expected!! There's just so much in their lives I'd love to explore and maybe I will sometime in the future.
> 
> All that aside, this was a joy to write! I really hope you enjoyed reading. I'd love to hear your feedback!
> 
> As always, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or Tumblr: @vias_words or vias-words.tumblr.com :))


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